(no subject)
Better late that ever, right? And I don't think there was any need to rush with the review anyway. We'll probably see another issue around November.
Astonishing X-Men 22 'Unstoppable, part 4'
So the Danger Room Lady has a no-killing feature after all? It's a good development. It always annoys me when a villain is presented as a super-super-powerful über-being and, for no apparent reason, all s/he is actually capable of is roughing the heroes up a bit. Here we get a clear and credible explanation. Good work.
The Danger Room Lady still is a pretty flat character (which is actually quite fitting, her being a personality-free robot, after all) but at least the Breakworld Evil Overlord (who probably has a name but I'm too lazy to check) finally got some spark here. And I love him complaining about Agent Brand patronizing him because his society operates by rules that humans see as barbaric (especially that, from Brand's diatribe later she's sees herself, and with good reasons, as the alien-enlightened one of the group). Because that's exactly what humans do in practically all the pop culture alien contacts. Our way is clearly the best, but we are not only smarter than you, we are also gracious and magnaninous so we will help to elevate from your backwards traditions toward our gloriously civilized level, even if you don't want, to because we just know better and you are too simple a nation to understand (which, now that I think about it, basically summarizes all the intricacies of 'Stargate SG-1' but that's a rant for some another time). I've always found it baffling how many people utterly fail to see that 'civilized' is a completely relative term.
Ok, change of the subject. I'm very glad to see Cyclops actually showing that he is the tactician here. I've always thought that's the most fascinating aspect of him and it's really regrettable how rarely that shows in comics. Yes, he is always very clearly indicated to be the leader, but that's not the same thing, isn't it?
And I assume he's gonna somehow survive this story-arc despite the fact that, at the moment he's floating in space without any sort of life-support. He's solar powers are gonna kick in, right? Because, simply, Scott Summers cannot die. Scott Summers is a rock, a keystone. He's so crucial to the Marvel Universe that I honestly cannot imagine it going on without him. I don't even think Iceman's death would upset me that much, and, as is probably already obvious to all the interested parties from my many many ravings on the subject, he's by far my favorite. If they killed HIM off I wouldn't be as much devastated as with Cyclops' death (which should, under no circumstances, be interpreted that you are allowed to kill Iceman, you hear me, Marvel people? I'm on to you). Cyclops lives. There is just no other viable option.
Now, the artwork. John Cassaday is an incredibly talented artist. He goes for realistic without the end result turning out to look like something computer-generated. He and Greg Land might actually be the only ones in the comic-book industry who can really manage that. And it has to be said that Cassaday has the upper hand in that duo. 'Nuff said, he's the king. And he draws the best Beast I've ever seen.
The Worth-Mentioning Rest:
- the Emma/Scott dynamic, especially near the end, with Scott for a change being the cold and determined one, and Emma helpless and at a loss how she should approach him. Very nicely done.
- the idea of Lockheed as a government agent is simply excellent. It works perfectly while all the time teetering teasingly on the edge of outrageous absurdity. I adore it.
- I don't think there ever was a writer who could capture Emma's dry sarcasm as effortlessly as Whedon. 'You're so unpleasant even I'm impressed. Do you visit orphanages to explain there's no Santa?' - frankly, some other lines were better but don't work that well outside the context, and this one makes a neat sample, too.
- Cyclops's new-found hobo style. I'm sorry, it just amuses me to no end.
- Wolverine: 'I don't know. The kid and I have been seeing this place at ground level...', Armor: 'Still not calling me Armor...', Wolverine: '... I kinda like the version where Pete blows it up.' The whole sequence is just delightful, and has a flawlessly fitting accompanying panel.
- the 'that's no moon' bit. So simple and so effective. Whedon really is a master of homage.
.
Astonishing X-Men 22 'Unstoppable, part 4'
So the Danger Room Lady has a no-killing feature after all? It's a good development. It always annoys me when a villain is presented as a super-super-powerful über-being and, for no apparent reason, all s/he is actually capable of is roughing the heroes up a bit. Here we get a clear and credible explanation. Good work.
The Danger Room Lady still is a pretty flat character (which is actually quite fitting, her being a personality-free robot, after all) but at least the Breakworld Evil Overlord (who probably has a name but I'm too lazy to check) finally got some spark here. And I love him complaining about Agent Brand patronizing him because his society operates by rules that humans see as barbaric (especially that, from Brand's diatribe later she's sees herself, and with good reasons, as the alien-enlightened one of the group). Because that's exactly what humans do in practically all the pop culture alien contacts. Our way is clearly the best, but we are not only smarter than you, we are also gracious and magnaninous so we will help to elevate from your backwards traditions toward our gloriously civilized level, even if you don't want, to because we just know better and you are too simple a nation to understand (which, now that I think about it, basically summarizes all the intricacies of 'Stargate SG-1' but that's a rant for some another time). I've always found it baffling how many people utterly fail to see that 'civilized' is a completely relative term.
Ok, change of the subject. I'm very glad to see Cyclops actually showing that he is the tactician here. I've always thought that's the most fascinating aspect of him and it's really regrettable how rarely that shows in comics. Yes, he is always very clearly indicated to be the leader, but that's not the same thing, isn't it?
And I assume he's gonna somehow survive this story-arc despite the fact that, at the moment he's floating in space without any sort of life-support. He's solar powers are gonna kick in, right? Because, simply, Scott Summers cannot die. Scott Summers is a rock, a keystone. He's so crucial to the Marvel Universe that I honestly cannot imagine it going on without him. I don't even think Iceman's death would upset me that much, and, as is probably already obvious to all the interested parties from my many many ravings on the subject, he's by far my favorite. If they killed HIM off I wouldn't be as much devastated as with Cyclops' death (which should, under no circumstances, be interpreted that you are allowed to kill Iceman, you hear me, Marvel people? I'm on to you). Cyclops lives. There is just no other viable option.
Now, the artwork. John Cassaday is an incredibly talented artist. He goes for realistic without the end result turning out to look like something computer-generated. He and Greg Land might actually be the only ones in the comic-book industry who can really manage that. And it has to be said that Cassaday has the upper hand in that duo. 'Nuff said, he's the king. And he draws the best Beast I've ever seen.
The Worth-Mentioning Rest:
- the Emma/Scott dynamic, especially near the end, with Scott for a change being the cold and determined one, and Emma helpless and at a loss how she should approach him. Very nicely done.
- the idea of Lockheed as a government agent is simply excellent. It works perfectly while all the time teetering teasingly on the edge of outrageous absurdity. I adore it.
- I don't think there ever was a writer who could capture Emma's dry sarcasm as effortlessly as Whedon. 'You're so unpleasant even I'm impressed. Do you visit orphanages to explain there's no Santa?' - frankly, some other lines were better but don't work that well outside the context, and this one makes a neat sample, too.
- Cyclops's new-found hobo style. I'm sorry, it just amuses me to no end.
- Wolverine: 'I don't know. The kid and I have been seeing this place at ground level...', Armor: 'Still not calling me Armor...', Wolverine: '... I kinda like the version where Pete blows it up.' The whole sequence is just delightful, and has a flawlessly fitting accompanying panel.
- the 'that's no moon' bit. So simple and so effective. Whedon really is a master of homage.
.